Education Minister Agrees with CEO’s to Rescind Allowance Increase

Francis Fonseca

When asked for his take on the controversial telephone allowance issue, Minister of Education Francis Fonseca agreed with the decision taken by the Chief Executive Officers to forego the increase in allowance.  That increase, as we’ve mentioned, was more than a hundred percent of what C.E.O.’s are presently receiving.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education

“I think, I support the decision of the CEOs, the CEO Caucus, to say, “Listen, we appreciate and understand that given the current circumstances this is not something that we should be receiving.  That decision, as I understand, they made yesterday or Monday.  So I fully support that decision, I think it was a wise decision and I think [it was] made in good faith, made in good faith.”

Reporter

“How about the decision to initially provide them with an increase?”

Francis Fonseca

“I think, as I said, you know, it’s not something that came to cabinet.  It’s a decision, I think, a decision that took place between the cabinet secretary and the financial secretary, I imagine.  So, the good thing is, the bottom line is that good sense prevailed and the CEOs themselves, said, “Listen, we do not want this increase in telephone allowance.”  And I think that’s the right decision.”